Category: Hip Hop

Public housing is not the local, state, or federal government’s gift to Blacks after centuries of inadequate housing opportunities. Ironically public housing does provide “affordable” housing to the impoverished (which still come from their taxes as citizens). However Black residents in urban projects are … Continue reading Re: Projects

When Dr. King wanted God’s children to join hands in song he probably did not envision that the song would have been laid down by a former drug dealer from a housing project in Brooklyn. Continue reading Re: God’s children

On “dumbing down” his music Jay-Z is not sipping from a bitter cup. There is a pressure to be highly marketable to gain commercial success; this kind of success is only accessible through palatable (and simpler) wordplay than what the Underground … Continue reading Re: Going mainstream

To appeal to the masses, rappers usually have to abridge their flow and lyricism. Hip Hop’s bad attitude and cool factor is what seduces the audience but it is simplicity, the art of clarity, Rap’s ease of interpretation, that recruits … Continue reading Re: New lovers

When an artist assimilates in mainstream it means that they have allowed themselves to become a vessel to the masses. Regardless of the audience’s address, citizenship status, hair texture or voter participation, being a crossover success means marketing to broader appeal and … Continue reading Re: Broader Appeal

King was an advocate for integration and there is no better symbol for national assimilation than the mainstream hip hop artist. Shawn Carter’s initial financial success and ultimately his success in other branches are due to his career as a … Continue reading Re: An advocate for integration

Dr. King dreamed of equality for all Americans. The modern manifestation of King’s dream is in the rapper, Shawn Corey “Jay-Z” Carter. Jay-Z is the embodiment of Dr. King’s dream of equality because he has earned sway over and united … Continue reading Re: King’s dream in the rapper

Expansion of the African American middle class along with dominance in music, media and athleticism are gleaming examples of how far Ham’s children have come. Let Freedom Ringtone: One King’s Manifestation of Another King’s Dream Continue reading Re: Ham’s children